July 2007

Santo Domingo Bound!

Well, June was quite eventful, what with Father’s Day, and the pilot shoot, and a wedding, not to mention Miami Simon Super Chefs Live! (that was a lot of fun!), and of course, packing the kiddies up for camp! Go figure, but when the house empties out of the children, a little bit of panic sets in. I have never known how to cook for two (nor do I think I want to!). So what to do with a summer set out before me? Well, sounds like the perfect opportunity for a road trip! Destination? The Dominican Republic!
With Miguelina and company in tow, I have an itinerary that is busting at the seams with culinary adventures. We are visiting a number of historical “foodie” places, as well as numerous “best of/or for” places, and I will be sure to give a full report when I get back. One would think that 10 days in the DR would be enough to cover the whole of the Republic, but in fact, our project is so intense, we will only be able to cover 3 cities! I had no idea there was so much to cover in the DR.
In the meantime however, I am going to turn you on to some great summer entertaining recipes, because, after all, that’s what it’s all about this time of year. I have a great yard for entertaining, and this is the time of year when I like to get the most out of it. One of my favorite summer recipes is a Shrimp-Avocado Salad that is garnished with cocktail sauce (you have no idea how beautifully this translates to an appetizer or an hors d’oeurve). The sweetness of the shrimp compliments the buttery avocado (go Haas!), which is then contrasted beautifully by the bite of horseradish in the tangy cocktail sauce. The salad is served cold, is very refreshing, and accompanied with a piece of crusty bread, is wonderful as a lunch or light supper dish.Summertime is definitely grill time, so why not crank up that grill? I love to grill a firm fleshed fish, like swordfish or halibut, but don’t forget you can throw soft shell crabs, clams, and even lobsters on there too. My Grilled Swordfish with Eggplant Relish is a great choice for summer entertaining, as you can make the relish ahead of time, and serve it room temperature (I love those make ahead dishes in the summer!). You know that if there’s anything that I cut corners on (can you say “Let’s take a run to the bakery!”) its dessert, and nothing quite cuts it like ice cream, in this case homemade Coconut Ice Cream.
So get out there and fire up those grills! After all, we don’t have summer year round up in Brooklyn, New York, so you have to strike while the iron’s hot. Put a couple of salads together, throw some protein on those hot coals, and invite some friends and family over. Everything else will fall right into place. How can it not? It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy…